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The great mystery.. sometimes weeks before, and then the plug
rebuilds itself.. sometimes days before.. sometimes not until you
are ready to deliver. .it's not really a trustworthy sign of
impending labor.

I've been loosing my plug for about 3 weeks now, with no labor. For
some it is a sign of labor will start in 1 to 7 days, not for me! I
like to think I'm in painless labor now as I'm 2 cm and 80% effaced
at 39+ weeks. Enjoying the painfree progression! I LOST MINE WHILE
I WAS IN LABOR I began losing a non- bloody mucous plug at around
29 weeks during all of my pregnancies. Research has enlightened me
on the fact that this is common and often goes un-noticed by many
women. Every woman and every loss of your mucus plug is going to be
different. With my first, I lost it the night before I had her. I
started to get contractions straight away. With this one, I am now
39weeks and 3days and I lost my first one 4 Fridays ago, then last
Tuesday and then one yesterday. They say not to pack your bags and
rush up to the hospital as soon as it happens. It's the
contractions or bleeding that you worry about. If you do get
worried or anything, ring the labour ward and talk to them. They do
this every single day. They will put your mind at ease. I didn't
lose mine until about 9 hours after my first contraction and 3
hours before my daughter was born.

Answer Especially if this is your first pregnancy, your body could take an unpredictable amount of time to get ready for labor. Generally, loss of the muc…us plug means labor will start soon, but it could still be several days or more. It is not uncommon for a woman to be 2cm dilated for at least a few weeks at the end of pregnancy.

Simple Mary

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Nine years of answering historical, educational and home improvement questions on answers.com. If I don't know the answer, I look it up

I know it seems like things are moving along quickly, but this is just a sign that your cervix is changing and not that labor is imminent. It is normal for women's cervi…ces to soften and open. This makes the cervix unable to hold on to the mucus. Did you know that you are constantly making more mucus? You'll probably continue to see this until you do finally go into labor. My advice is to not think about how much longer until labor begins, but use these last few weeks to really enjoy this little life while it is still inside of you. Have a joyous birth! Layla M Swisher Midwife

It varies with every woman. You can't necessarily estimate how long it takes. Some women can lose their mucus plug at 28 to 36 weeks and still don't go into labor for a few ot…her weeks. Losing your mucus plug is a good sign that your body is preparing for labor, but it is not a sign that labor is imminent.

When you are pregnant you have a mucus plug that is there to stop bacteria entering your uterus and harming the baby. As you approach your due date and your cervix thins… and dilates, the mucus plug can come out. It is just like a big bit of goo. Some women report seeing it fall into the toilet. Some women never notice it go. And sometimes it is still there when you go into labour. You can lose your plug up to two weeks before you go into labour, but it is one of the "signs" that your time is near.

After checking with an OB, it is safe to swim in a swimming pool after your mucus plug has come away. Once your waters break, under no circumstances should you sit/swim in an…y stagnant water, even a personal swimming pool. The baby is no longer protected by the amniotic fluid.

if your looking to lose your mucus plug to start labour, this may not happen as you can lose your mucus plug as little as 26 weeks and not go into labour. i would highly not a…dvise you to purposely lose your mucus plug as it is what prevents bacteria getting to the baby!!!!!!!! let it happen naturaly its much safer for your baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

that totally depends from person to person. Every birth and every pregnancy is different. Generally speaking though, if your waters break, your labour is a lot quicker but tha…t is no guarantee either. I was 2 cm dilated for a month before my son was born and when my water did eventually break it took 5 hours from the time my water broke until he has born. I was in active (pain) labour for about 3 of those hours. With my first son I was in labour for 18 hours but the hospital had to break my waters. Good luck with everything.

Depends what you mean by "early pregnancy" since it doesn't start to shape until after the first trimester. Yes you can lose it in early pregnancy, or parts of it, and see you…r doctor if that is what you think. It regenerates though if you lose it early. If it was the mucus plug it should have been some brown or maybe even red in it. Sometimes the normal discharge (the milky white stuff) can hang up in the vaginal area and when it comes out it can be thick and clumpy.